Review: In Time

Pretend that Robin Hood is transferred to a future where time is the standard currency and in this place he sees inequity and classism run completely amuck to the extremes.  But instead of finding his own Maid Marion to join him on a crusade to assist the huddled masses, he meets a Bonnie to play opposite his Clyde.  If you can envision this in your mind then you can save yourself two hours, because -and let me not mince words here - In Time is a really bad movie.

Coming into this film Justin Timberlake – as an actor - was on a bit of a roll.  Friends with Benefits, Bad Teacher, and multiple appearances on Saturday Night Live had shown that JT possesses decent comedic timing and sense.  Poking fun at oneself and the ability to sing a ditty are valuable assets in sketch comedy, but selling action and drama is an entirely different beast. In Time proves that Timberlake is not quite ready for prime time as a dramatic lead.

But the failure of the film does not rest on his shoulders alone.  Time as a currency and the inherent problems associated with such a system appear promising as a premise, but prove difficult to flesh out in execution.  Time is a great dramatic mechanism for manufacturing a sense of urgency, but when established as the primary unit of measurement in a value system, it ironically serves to dampen dramatic turns.  The root of this issue stems from the fact that we are not naturally inclined to assign value to a day versus a week versus a month, and so on and so forth.  Time spent pondering this unnatural value system during the film is time spent not caring about the protagonists.  Furthermore, writer/director Andrew Niccol clearly attempts to use the film as a vehicle to preach about societal morals, values, and norms but the movie lacks the voice to intelligently articulate such commentary.

Timberlake is mediocre at best, but Amanda Seyfried is an utter disaster.  She has been completely unremarkable in her other cinematic endeavors (Red Riding Hood, Mamma Mia) and yet she continues to land major roles. She has one kind of performance in her repertoire and it's that of an apathetic, cold, and sterile person.  Cillian Murphy as the time police is completely neutered in this role, coming off as detached, aloof, and uninterested.  As for the rest of the cast, Olivia Wilde, Johnny Galecki, and Matthew Bomer are not onscreen long enough to rescue the film from itself.

I could go on and on about the issues with this film, but then I would be wasting time (irony abounds), so I will simply advise one and all to avoid this movie at all costs.  And if you are a huge Justin Timberlake fan, then that goes double for you unless you want to be less of one by time the credits roll.

Standout Performance:  Matthew Bomer stands out as one member of the cast who decides to give it a decent go.